Page 34 of The Other Side of Green

“Luca, for fuck’s sake,” I ground out, blood tanging with excess saliva which I spat out onto the ground. “Can’t we act like adults?”

“Adults? That’s right, you are an adult. She’s a kid.”

“Luca,” I shoved my hands into his chest to carve some space between us. “She’s not a goddamn kid.”

Wild fury flared his cheeks a scorching red. “You should have left her alone. I told you to leave her alone.”

My punch socked him sharp on his right eyebrow, splitting the skin. “I didn’t lie in wait for her, Luca. She turned up where I already was.”

He roared and charged at me, winding the air out of my lungs as his head connected with my stomach.

“Boys!” Phillipe stood to one side, his sharp attention on us. Well, I assumed he was to one side, it was kinda hard to see at the moment.

“Jack!” Mom’s call made me hesitate, earning me another punch to my chin.

“Fuck.” I pushed back against his weight, fighting against toppling backwards. Grounding my feet, I flung my fist in Luca’s direction, almost blinded by the sweat dripping in my eyes.

“How the fuck did you end up her lecturer?”

“What did you want me to do with myself once you forced me to run away?”

“You should never have come back. I warned you.” Both of us panted. I wanted to call a time out, but pride stopped the words. Instead, I kicked out at his knee.

“Warned me what, Luca? I haven’t got anything to fear from you anymore, you’ve already destroyed me.”

He stopped, arms hanging loose. “I was trying to save you.”

My fist connected with his left cheek, planting him down onto the floor. “You failed, buddy.” Red hot heat scorched through my veins and I towered over him, lifting my clenched hand ready to pay him back.

“Jack,” Mom’s cry cut through the buzz in my veins, but not enough to stop me. My fist hit home again; a flow of strength washed over me.

“Jack!” My arm wound back, ready to smash again, uncaring of blood, pain, bone and destruction. “Jack, please.”

I turned to Mom only to find her standing in her place. Lyra.

I blinked through the blur of my vision.

“Jack, please stop.” Her hand landed on my skin, warm fingers wrapping tight around my forearm as she edged her way between us.

“Stand out of the way.”

“No.”

My chest heaved, body rushing: one, two, three, four. Too quick. One, two, three, four. I gasped out a ragged breath. One, two, three, four.

“Jack.” Lyra reached for my face. “This isn’t going to help any.”

“No? It’s making me feel better.” Her face swam in and out of focus, bright stars setting off like fireworks around the outline of her hair.

“But this isn’t who you are.”

I wanted to snort, but with the clarity Lyra bought with her, she also brought the pain in my face, sharp across my cheekbone. The thudding on my temple made me shut my eye, stopped all physical reactions. “Who I am then?” I muttered, my tongue swirling in blood.

“You’re Jack.”

The heat in my blood cooled. Just in time for Luca to lunge off from the floor and boot me in the stomach.

“Motherfucker.” I went down, gravity grasping me tight just as the wail of sirens filled the air. With their keening cry, Luca and I both collapsed on the floor. Conversation over for now.